Waiting Rooms
by OpheliacAngel
Summary: Ames didn't do waiting rooms, or waiting period. Then again, he also didn't tolerate drugged-to-the-gills transgenics that were slightly too adorable to smack. Fill for h/c bingo Round 7 for the prompt 'drugged.' Series: Part 4 of The Reverence Complex


**Title:** Waiting Rooms

 **Author:** OpheliacAngel

 **Pairing:** Ames/Alec

 **Genres:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

 **Rating:** Teen

 **Summary:** Ames didn't do waiting rooms, or waiting _period_. Then again, he also didn't tolerate drugged-to-the-gills transgenics that were slightly too adorable to smack.

 **A/N:** Fill for h/c_bingo Round 7 for the prompt 'drugged.' This is set during 'Systemic Reverberation' in that it's a filler scene while Alec is in the hospital. It'll make little sense unless you read that one first, but I've provided some background enough that it'll make some sense if you don't.

 **Warnings:** Some Language

 **Soundtrack:** Ashes of Soma's 'Imminent'

 **Series:** Part 4 of The Reverence Complex

Wooing - to seek one's affection or approval; to seek to win; to invite one with good or bad consequences

* * *

 _~Looking for this new thing to turn my words into dreams_

 _It_ _'s my life, that I couldn't get in_

 _How many times does it take to realize?_

 _That I am wondering why you_ _'re always holding on~_

* * *

The hospital room was nearly as crowded as the waiting room, though luckily a nurse occasionally walked in to force out unwelcome guests. Ames found Alec in the bed at the far end of the room after he made damn sure no blood had been drawn, specifically in the bed furthest from the door. It was good in that it actually gave them some privacy, since the bed directly next to Alec's - which was practically on top of Alec's own - was vacant.

Then again, it was also bat-shit crazy for Ames to put up with given that there was no way one of them, let alone both of them, would reach the door if they needed to get the fuck out of there and fast. And the window didn't look like it would open either, not that he didn't make sure of that half a dozen, increasingly more pissed off times.

Alec's stupidity in running into an actually burning house should have lead Ames to ditch his ass, if not for the confusing fact that Alec had run in to grab a particularly important photograph of Ray that Ames had left behind, a disturbing detail that made absolutely no sense and that they had yet to discuss. Or rather, Ames would scream about what the fuck Alec thought he was doing, and Alec would most likely shrug and make some snarky comment, as if trying to tear down all of Ames' walls whether realizing it or not.

And Ames would let him without doing a goddamn thing about it.

As if Ames hadn't been made soft enough by Alec coming back into his life, which he had wanted in the first place: to use Alec as leverage and then to help him find his son, he had been made even softer with the over two hour wait in the suffocating waiting room of the nearest hospital. There had been nothing to do, nothing else he wanted to do other than hold Alec - _mine_ \- as he slowly went into shock from the deep second degree burns around his wrists, the erratic breathing from the prolonged smoke inhalation and the agonizing walk to the hospital which hadn't been actually _close_. Once they had reached the gas station he thought he had already asked too much, but Alec pushed on as if he had no other choice, and Ames had pushed on too until they both collapsed into barely held together chairs in the waiting room.

And Alec had looked so sick and so small but so beautiful too under those harsh fluorescent lights.

Ames couldn't stop reliving the armful of him as he had opened the cabin door and Alec had fallen into him, so still and so quiet. Alec had felt so small back in those woods and even smaller in the waiting room, but the fact that he had barely made more than a moan of pain only hit harder to home how strong and stubborn and determined the transgenic was.

If anyone could help him find Ray, the son that had been taken from him, it was Alec.

The Familiar turned away to pull the hideous, flower-print curtain as far back as it could go to ensure he would know immediately about any unwanted visitors, as much as he may have wanted maximum privacy. He settled for shielding Alec with as much of his body as he was able. The transgenic usually slept on his side but he was on his back now, eyes half-open and blinking slowly. He shifted slightly at the sound of the curtain, disoriented gaze finding Ames' immediately and eyes filling with light.

Ames shoved his hands in his jacket pockets in case they decided to go beyond tingling to full blown trembling. He kept his face schooled when Alec grinned, despite it being too damn adorable in a way that Ames would rather take a bullet than admit to. It was clear Alec was dumbed down on painkillers, if not by the ridiculous grin then by how relaxed he appeared.

Ames envied him that.

"Hey." Alec's smile grew wider, if that was even physically possible. "Thought you took my advice to get out of here."

Right. Alec had a death-wish enough to try to convince, hell, to practically _beg_ Ames to leave on the assumption that they would put a bullet in the Familiar on sight. Alec would just be taken, tortured, dissected until there was nothing left of him, not even a memory. Except Ames had known five hours ago what he still knew now: he wasn't leaving Alec behind. Alec was _his_ now, no matter what.

"I feel soooo good. I mean, don't think I've ever felt this good in, like, my entiiiire life. What about you, do you feel good too? 'Cause, you know, I feel good. Soo good." Alec giggled and Ames rolled his eyes.

The fingernail of his pinky finger tapped the IV bag lightly, wondering how much pain Alec would be in if he tore the needle out of his arm in protest. Then again, maybe this was exactly what Ames needed for a change: not having to run for one goddamn second. He stuffed his hands back in his pockets.

Clearly the pain killers were good enough for Alec to immediately reach for Ames' arm, poking the thin line of bare skin that hadn't retreated underneath the material of his jacket. Alec giggled again when Ames jumped, and he seemed infinitely satisfied when the Familiar removed his hand from his pocket, not wanting Alec to strain anymore than necessary and put them back further. Within moments, Alec clumsily grasped Ames' index finger in between three of his own, smile fading slightly as his eyes started to close.

Ames glanced behind him briefly to make sure they were invisible to the rest of the world, then bent down, removed his finger from Alec's weakening grip, and placed the hand on the transgenic's blanket covered waist after realizing how small the bed was. He discreetly pulled the blanket higher up the transgenic's form when a tremor ran through him.

He told himself that none of it meant anything, that he was just making sure Alec didn't die from hypothermia or insomnia, that he was just going through the motions.

That didn't rationalize the accelerated thumping of his heart, nearly right up at the surface of his chest, every time he raked his eyes over Alec. It didn't explain the tingling in his fingers every time he touched him or thought about it, or the panic every time Alec twitched or snuffled in his doze.

He would let Alec get some rest for now, but then they had to go.

* * *

 _~Thoughts in my mind making great things in life_

 _See here in my eyes, it happens over and over again_

 _After a while in this game it all starts to make sense_

 _Pushing all so hard, pushing this dream, pushing my chance~_

* * *

Forty-five minutes turned into two hours. Every time Ames checked his watch and stood up, Alec's peaceful, sleeping form pushed his ass right back down into that fucking uncomfortable plastic chair. Damn him because Alec could stop him in his tracks even in his goddamn sleep.

Two hours and not even Ames could argue anymore.

"How high was I before? 'Cause I still feel pretty damn good now, just not like I'm climbing the ceiling anymore or anything."

Ames prayed to fucking whoever was up there that he didn't remember anything. Prayed even more vehemently that he never would because Ames would never live it down or be able to explain it, not when he especially couldn't explain it to himself. He stared at the transgenic intensely for a good second or two, searching for any last vestiges of medication, and was surprised at how coherent Alec seemed after a mere two hours. Transgenics must have pretty quick metabolisms, considering one of the nurses _had_ topped Alec off at one point.

"You were fine," Ames settled on. "Now get your ass out of that bed." He threw Alec's jacket - the one that was really Ames' but the one he had given to Alec earlier in the night - over his body for emphasis, reasoning that he'd help him put it on just as soon as Alec took him seriously.

Alec sat up like the good little soldier he was, maneuvering himself slowly out of the bed as if testing his body for its limits. Ames waited impatiently, though his eyes just as much studied Alec as the transgenic's careful movements studied his own body. "It's a miracle we weren't fucking discovered," Ames growled, staring even more impatiently at his watch.

Alec, instead, shot a look toward the clock hanging on the wall. "4 am? But I went in three hours ago. How long did you let me sleep?" And Ames was really hoping he wouldn't notice that. Alec's face dissolved until it seemed infinitely lighter, though luckily not featuring the dopey grin of earlier. "Aww, Ames. You really know how to woo a guy. No wonder I'm nearly at one-hundred percent again."

"Don't push your luck," Ames shot back.

"Don't know if you've noticed this or not, White, but there's kinda nothing else to do."

Ames swallowed down a groan and tried not to memorize every inch of Alec's ensuing smile.

Tried and failed.

 **FIN**


End file.
